Swear

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /ˈswɛɹ/
• RP IPA: /ˈswɛə/
• Rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)

From Middle English sweren, swerien, from Old English swerian ("to swear, take an oath of office"), from Proto-Germanic *swarjaną ("to speak, swear"), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- ("to speak, talk"). Cognate with West Frisian swarre ("to swear"), Eastern Frisian swera ("to swear"), Dutch zweren ("to swear, vow"), Low German swören ("to swear"), sweren, German schwören ("to swear"), Danish sværge, Swedish svära ("to swear"), Icelandic sverja ("to swear"). Also cognate to Albanian var ("to hang, consider, to depend from") through Proto-Indo-European.

Full definition of swear

Verb

1. (intransitive, transitive) To take an oath.
2. (intransitive) To use offensive language.

Synonyms

Usage notes

In sense 1, this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See

Synonyms

Derived terms

From the above verb, or from Middle English sware, from Old English swaru, from Proto-Germanic *swarō.

Noun

1. A swearword.

From Middle English swer, swar, from Old English swǣr, swār ("heavy, heavy as a burden, of great weight, oppressive, grievous, painful, unpleasant, sad, feeling or expressing grief, grave, slow, dull, sluggish, slothful, indolent, inactive from weakness, enfeebled, weak"), from Proto-Germanic *swēraz ("heavy"), from Proto-Indo-European *swēr- ("heavy"). Cognate with West Frisian swier ("heavy"), Dutch zwaar ("heavy, hard, difficult"), German schwer ("heavy, hard, difficult"), Swedish svår ("heavy, hard, severe"), Latin sērius ("earnest, grave, solemn, serious") and Albanian varrë ("wound,plague").

Alternative forms

• sweer, sweir, swere

Adjective

1. (UK dialectal) Heavy.
2. (UK dialectal) Top-heavy; too high.
3. (UK dialectal) Dull; heavy; lazy; slow; reluctant; unwilling.
4. (UK dialectal) Niggardly.
5. (UK dialectal) A lazy time; a short rest during working hours (especially field labour); a siesta.

Derived terms

• swearness
• swearock
• sweary

Verb

1. (UK dialectal) To be lazy; rest for a short while during working hours.

Anagrams

• sawer, sware, wares, wears